A guide to ‘Coal + Ice,’ the climate change festival

A visitor looks at “Light Waves II” by Clifford Ross, part of the “Coal + Ice” exhibition at the Fort Mason Center. Photo: Courtesy of�Clifford Ross, Courtesy of Clifford Ross

What is “Coal + Ice”?

“Coal + Ice” originally began as a documentary photography exhibition in Beijing in 2011. Since then, the show, co-curated by photographer Susan Meiselas and exhibition designer Jeroen de Vries, has been on display in Shanghai, other parts of China and Paris. Each time, it changes to fit the space it occupies.

The iteration coming to San Francisco, however, is the most expansive yet — and the first in the United States. The exhibition itself takes up an entire warehouse on San Francisco’s waterfront at the Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture. There are large-scale photographs and videos of melting ice, Chinese coal miners and victims of climate-change-induced flooding.

But that’s just the beginning.

Along with “Coal + Ice,” the Asia Society, led by Orville Schell, has curated three weeks of events to get the public talking about climate change in accessible ways. The photography show and the events run through Sept. 23.

Why now?

“Coal + Ice,” the exhibition and the festival, is considered one of many affiliate events of Gov. Jerry Brown’s Global Climate Action Summit. Schell saw an opening when the summit was announced to both bring “Coal + Ice” to the U.S. for the first time and also to anchor the summit with a series of high-profile events. The hope, he has said, is that the general public will start having a robust conversation around these topics at the same time the governor is hosting his own high-level talks.

Where is it?

The visual exhibition is housed in the Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture Festival Pavilion at 2 Marina Blvd. on the easternmost jetty. Many of the festival’s events take place in the same space, in and among the artwork. However, a couple are off site, such as the wrap-up conversation at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive and a San Francisco Symphony performance at Davies Symphony Hall.

The visual component will likely appeal to anybody, especially those with an interest in visual art, documentary work, photography and climate science. That said, there is, essentially, something for everyone. That’s the point, Schell says. Organizers wanted the festival to appeal to as many people as possible.

“People need to have a little enjoyment and be able to participate in an issue more than just being scared,” Schell said in April when the festival was announced.

For those who enjoy classical music, there are four events between Thursday, Sept. 13, and Sept. 17, at Davies Symphony Hall, where Michael Tilson Thomas is scheduled to conduct renowned pianist Yuja Wang in Maurice Ravel’s “Piano Concerto for the Left Hand.”

Those who like live storytelling will want to check out “The Fire Tapes” on Sept. 22, an event sponsored by “Snap Judgement” and KQED that drills deep into the state’s wildfire crisis, specifically the October 2017 fires.

For some levity, there’s a comedy night planned for Sept. 19, as well, with Will Durst, Diane Amos, Nato Green and Johnny Steele all on hand to offer their “unique perspectives” on climate change.

There are also a number of events geared toward a younger audience, including a Youth Speaks-partnered evening on Sept. 21that will include spoken word.

This will change depending on the event, of course. But by all appearances, “Coal + Ice” treats the topic at hand seriously, while making it more than doomsday-scenario charts and figures.

The vibe can also be whatever you make it. If you want something on the more serious side, consider “Spotlight on Climate Solutions,” a two-day series of panels on Tuesday-Wednesday, Sept. 11-12 — on several different topics — featuring speakers such as former Vice President Al Gore, journalist Tom Friedman and economist Laura Tyson.

A view of the “Coal + Ice” exhibition held in Shanghai three years ago. Photo: Leah Thompson

How much do the events cost?

Many of the events are free with registration at coalandice.org. If there is a fee, it will be noted.

How do I get there?

Driving is an option. But, being that the focus is on climate change, it’s probably best to find a more eco-friendly way to get there. (Plus, on the busier nights, parking might be an issue.) Biking and walking are great options. Public transportation can also get you to your destination. If you take Muni to Fisherman’s Wharf, it’s a 20-minute walk to Fort Mason. You can also take the 43, which drops you off right in front of the complex.